Mount Pleasant pizza man center of attention after police use his pie to help coax possible jumper from Ravenel Bridge

A.J. Castle, general manager of Andolini's Pizza in Mount Pleasant, works his magic Monday. Earlier in the day, Mount Pleasant police used one of his pepperoni pies to help coax down a man who had theatened to jump off the Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River. (Brad Nettles/postandcourier.com) 6/24/13

For more than four hours, fuming motorists were held hostage by a man threatening to jump off the Ravenel Bridge. Police and rescue workers closed down two lanes and then shut southbound traffic down altogether as they tried to talk the man down. Cars backed up for miles.

Then, a police officer arrived bearing a secret weapon — a steaming wheel of pepperoni pie made by Castle, general manager at Andolini’s Pizza in Mount Pleasant.

Within minutes of the officer sliding open the box on the hood of his vehicle, the would-be jumper surrendered to police and was carted off for treatment. And for hundreds of weary drivers, traffic mercifully began to flow once again.

Police haven’t officially credited Castle with saving the day, but his customers apparently have made up their minds about his contribution.

“Dude, your pizza is saving lives this morning,” one man said as he arrived for lunch at the Coleman Boulevard restaurant.

Castle, 30, wasn’t sure what to make of all the attention.

The restaurant hadn’t even opened when police called in their order around 10:15 a.m. An officer told Castle that police were “doing some work” on the bridge and needed a pie. The officer later confided that police were dealing with a possible jumper.

Castle whipped up a standard pepperoni and had it boxed and ready by the time the officer came to claim it. Castle gave it to him at no charge.

“I figured he was doing a good deed, I might as well do him a good deed as well,” he said.

Castle didn’t think much more of it until a customer came in and showed him a photo on postandcourier.com of the officer offering Castle’s creation to the despondent man. Soon, he seemed to be the center of attention as word of the incident spread.

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Enlarge Police offer a pizza to a man who is walking on the outside ledge of the Ravenel Bridge. Incidents on I-526 and the Ravenel Bridge made traffic headaches throughout Mount Pleasant Monday June 24, 2013. Grace Beahm/Staff

Police offer a pizza to a man who is walking on the outside ledge of the Ravenel Bridge. Incidents on I-526 and the Ravenel Bridge made traffic headaches throughout Mount Pleasant Monday June 24, 2013. Grace Beahm/Staff

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